Cigarette case with detachable ash tray



June 18, 1968 R. E. MUIRHEID 3,388,706

CIGARETTE CASE WITH DETACHABLE ASH TRAY Filed Feb. 15, 1966 INVENTOR. Ralph E.Muirheid BY @m miovney United States Patent 0 3,388,706 CIGARETTE CASE WHTH DETACHABLE ASH TRAY Ralph E. Muirheid, 803 W. Market St, Akron, Ohio 44303 Filed Feb. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 527,466 6 Claims. (Cl. 131-238) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A three part container comprising a case having an open upper end and adapted to receive a package of cigarettes, a closure for the upper end of the case having walls which telescope over the upper end of the walls of the case and a cap which telescopes over the lower end of case, the walls of which have upper edge portions which abut the lower edge portions of the upper closure. Opposite end walls of the lower cap have notches in the upper edge portions adapted to support a cigarette, and the lower end portion of the side walls of the case and the side Walls of the lower cap have serpentine formations therein for locking and holding the cap on the case, the formations being so located that the cap can be locked and held on the case only after the notches in the end walls of the cap are substantially closed by the end walls of the case.

This invention relates to cigarette cases and, in particular, relates to an improved cigarette case of the type having a detachable ash tray.

Heretofore, plastic cagarette cases have been provided with a removable part suitable for use as an emergency ash tray. These have not been entirely satisfactory, however, for various reasons including the fact that no suitable means was provided for safely supporting the cigarette on the ash tray, and that no suitable means was provided for affixing the ash tray on the cigarette case or for preventing accidental spilling of cigarette ashes stored in the ash tray While it was attached to the cigarette case.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved cigarette case of the character described having an ash tray which can be releasably locked in position with respect to the case, when the ash tray part is not in use as such, and in a manner which obviates accidental spilling of cigarette ashes while the assembled cigarette case is in a persons pocket, for example.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cigarette case assembly of the character described having improved means for locking an ash tray attachment in various positions of adjustment on the casing assembly, according to the quantity of cigarette debris being temporarily stored in the case.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a cigarette case of the character described in which the ash tray attachment is provided with cigarette gripping recesses which remain closed at all times when the ash tray is locked on the case assembly, whereby accidental spillage of cigarette debris from the assembled case is obviated.

These and-other objects of the invention will be manitest from the following brief description and the accompanying drawings.

Of the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the improved cigarette case in assembled condition for containing a package of cigarettes.

FIGURE 2 is an exploded edge view of the cigarette case of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary end view, partly broken away and in section, of the assembled cigarette case shown in FEGURE 1.

3,388,706 Patented June 18, 1968 FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view similar to FIGURE 3, but illustrating the cigarette case with an ash tray portion of the same partially extended, but still in an interlocked condition with respect to the assembled case.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view illustrating the ash tray portion of the improved cigarette case in use as an ash tray.

Referring particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2, there is illustrated a cigarette case 10 including a flat-sided, inner box-like casing part 11 (see FIGURE 2) having an open top for snug reception and storage of a standard package of cigarettes, as indicated in chain-dotted lines at P in FIGURE 2. Snugly but sildably formed over the top portion of the casing part 11 may be a fiat-walled cover or cap 12 (see FIGURE 1). Likewise, snugly but slidably fitted over the lower portion of easing part 11 may be a fiat-walled second cap or ash tray part 13. The fiat walls 14, 14 at the small ends of the cap 13, however, may have recesses 16, 16 extending inwardly from the upper edges 17, 17 of the same defining tapered edges 18, 18 between which a cigarette may be yieldingly retained when the cap is removed from casing 11 for use as an ash tray, as shown in FIGURE 5.

For purposes to be described, the casing parts 11, 12, and 13 may be made of rigid or semi-rigid, synthetic resin plastic materials to be somewhat resilient, or at least so that at least the thin walls 20, 20 of casing part 11 will be resiliently flexible. Serrations 19, 19 integrally formed or molded on the inner-faces of the opposite walls 20, 20 of cap 13 define vertically spaced notches and teeth for resilient mating engagement with spaced notches and teeth defined by similar serrations 21, 21 integrally formed or molded on the outer faces of the corresponding walls 22, 22 of the casing part 11 (four teeth being shown on each side). This arrangement is such that the cap 13 is slidable with reference to the casing part 11, between the fully closed or retracted position shown in FIGURE 3 and the partly open or extended posilion shown in FIG- URE 4, in which interlocked engagement of mating serrations 19 and 21 is maintained. Further forced movement of the cap 13 outwardly with reference to the casing part 11, releases interlocking engagement of the mating serrations 19 and 21 to permit full removal of the cap 13 from casing part 11 for use as an ash tray, as shown in FIGURE 5. Until accomplishment of such full or final unlocking of the cap or ash tray 13 for such removal, however, the cigarette-holding recesses 16 remain fully covered by the corresponding wall portions of the casing part 11, so that cigarette ashes previously stored in the ash tray cannot spill outwardly through said recesses.

To facilitate manual release of the cap 13 from the casing part 11, against yielding interlocking engagement of the serrations 19 and 21, similar serrations 23 may be formed on the outer-faces of the wall 20 of the cap 13 for non-slip engagement of the fingers. These serrations 23 also serve to increase the grip of the locking serrations 19 on the cap 13.

In use of the improved cigarette case it is normally kept in the closed position best shown in FIGURE 1, and with a package of cigarettes contained between the casing part 11 and closure cap 12. In this condition cap 12. alone may be momentarily removed for withdrawal of cigarettes from the package P thereof retained within the casing part 11. Upon removal of a cigarette the cap 13 may be manually removed from the lower end of the casing part 11 for use as an ash tray, in the manner shown in FIGURE 5 wherein a cigarette C is illustrated as being wedgingly supported in one or other of the recesses 16 provided at each end of cap 13. In situations wherein disposal of cigarette debris from the ash tray 13 is not possible or convenient, the cap or ash tray 13 may be yieldingly slidably applied to the lower end of the casing part 11, until the bottom wall of the latter compresses the debris or ashes in the ash tray, and one or more of each of the opposing serrations 19 and 21 are firmly interlocked. In this condition the construction is such that the recesses 16 will always be fully covered by the casing 11 against accidental removal of cigarette ashes therethrough so that the cigarette case 10, assembled as shown in FIGURE 1, may be safely stored in a pocket until such time as the cigarette ashes may be conveniently disposed of.

Modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cigarette case, comprising: a casing having a closed bottom end and an open top end providing an opening for reception of a supply of cigarettes; a hollow closure cap for reception of said top end of said casing therein to close the opening in the same; and a second hollow cap open at one end and complemental in shape to the lower pOrtion of said casing for upward sliding reception thereon and adapted to form a closed chamber variable in volume by sliding adjustment of the second cap on the casing; said casing and said second cap having releasably interengageable locking means thereon for holding said second cap in at least one position of said sliding adjustment on said casing, as for retaining cigarette debris in the closed chamber, said second cap having at least one wall provided with a recess therein extending inwardly from an edge of the wall at the open end of the cap, and defining spaced edge portions for inward yielding reception of a cigarette between said spaced edge portions in use of the second cap as an ash tray apart from said casing, and said locking means including portions which are complementally interengageable only after said second cap is slidably received on said casing to a position in which said recess is substantially closed by the casing, and thereby to assure substantially complete confinement of cigarette debris in said closed chamber.

2. A cigarette case as in claim 1, said locking means including complementally interengageable serrations on adjacent wall portions of said casing and saidsecond cap.

3. A cigarette case as in claim 2, said complementally interengageable serrations being disposed to lock the second cap in selected positions of sliding adjustment on said casing in accordance with the quantity of cigarette debris to be confined in the second cap.

4. A cigarette case as in claim 3, said second cap having serrations on the outer side of the wall opposite from the locking serrations thereon, and serving as reinforcement for said locking serrations as well as non-skid finger-grip means to facilitate sliding movement of the second cap with respect to the casing against the locking action of said locking means.

5. A cigarette case as in claim 1, said locking means including complementally interengageable serrations on adjacent wall portions of said casing and said second cap.

6. A cigarette case as in claim 1, said second cap having serrations on the outer side of the wall from the locking means thereon, and serving as reinforcement for said locking means as well as providing non-skid fingergrip means to facilitate sliding movement of the second cap with respect to the casing against the locking action of said locking means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,134,427 4/ 1915 Ullrich 220-60 1,562,497 11/1925 Derry 131-238 X 2,629,388 2/1953 Duhairne et al. 131-242 2,717,619 9/1955 Whitman 22060 X 2,944,555 7/1960 Peel et al 131238 3,143,116 8/1964 Gedeon 131-238 FOREIGN PATENTS 458,497 8/ 1949 Canada. 176,866 3/1922 Great Britain.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner. JOSEPH S. REICH, Examiner. 

